Patrick Reed says his desire to support the European Tour and win the Race to Dubai made it an easy decision to travel to the 2020 BMW PGA Championship.
The U.S. Ryder Cup star, who currently leads the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex, had to self-isolate before taking a Covid-19 test after flying in on Sunday.
Having been given the all clear to join the tournament bubble at Wentworth Club, the World Number Nine is now looking to cement his place at the top of the Race to Dubai standings.
“I'm expecting to play some good golf and to play well,” Reed said. “It's a treat any time we come over and play on the European Tour.
“Just the way everything is run, the way the fans normally are, and the way the guys are out here, it's such a blast to come over and play. I enjoy it a ton.
“Last year compared to this year, with the fans, with how amazing they were and how supportive they were of golf, coming over here and how supportive they were of me, especially being a guy on an American Ryder Cup team rather than a European Ryder Cup team, it was awesome to see.
“It definitely made it one of my favourite events to come over and play, and I definitely had to make sure I came over and played this year.”
So great to be back! @EuropeanTour @BMWPGA Looking forward to playing this week at Wentworth! Thank you all for having me! Always a great time here! #bmwpgachampionship #bmw #Wentworth #TeamReed pic.twitter.com/SBFAKBGOAX
— Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) October 5, 2020
Asked whether it had been a difficult decision to cross the Atlantic for this week's event, Reed revealed his desire to finish the year as European Number One had been a key factor.
“It definitely was motivated by winning the Race to Dubai,” he added. “When you're in the lead, being able to come over is always nice to try to stay on top.
“It was a late entry into the event, and it was mainly my team and I trying to figure out, okay, safety-wise, with everything that's going on in the world and travelling over, making sure, one, we're not putting people at risk when we come over, but at the same time, when I go home, not putting my family at risk when I get back to the States.
“So it was a tough decision. It was a long decision. And it's one of those that at the end of the day, every time we thought about it, it was - we've always supported the European Tour, we've always enjoyed coming over and playing on the European Tour, and being a lifetime member of the Tour, it was something that I had to come over and play.
“I wouldn't have felt right not coming over and supporting the European Tour. And really at the end of the day, all I can control is what I do. And as long as I feel like I'm being responsible, being safe and social distancing and taking care of myself, whether I'm travelling, whether I'm on the road, and with knowing the protocols that the European Tour has and how locked in their bubble is, I knew I was going to be safe once I got here.
“So at that point I was like I need to come over, I need to come play, come support, and come to a place that I really enjoyed playing last year.
“I'm thankful enough to have an honorary membership, lifetime membership on the European Tour. When you get something like that, for me, as a player and as a competitor, when you have an event that is as large as this one and means so much to the European Tour, for what they have done for me, there's no question.”
